Clothesline tightener



' H. W. MOCK CLOTHESLINE TIGHTENER Aug. 22, 1950 Filed Aug. 13, 1946 FIG. 5

FIGS

FIG. 4

' HW MOCK Patented Aug. 22, 1950 UNITED CLOTHESLKNE TIGHTENER Harry W. Meek, Tulsa, Okla, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Ernest Budy, Miami, Okla.

Application August 13, 1946, Serial N 0. 690,280

1 Claim. 1

The object of my invention is to provide a novel clothesline tightener which will cost little to manufacture and which operates eficiently. I attain the objects of my invention by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view illustrating one application of the invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are top plan views respectively of the frame and tightening bar, each per se; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the frame bar prior to its being bent into final form.

With continued reference to the drawings, a frame bar I may be stamped or otherwise produced from suitable stock and this bar is bent along dotted lines 2 and 3 providing an end portion or member 4 of the frame, and sides 5 and 6, respectively, which are substantially parallel. Thereafter the bar is bent along the dotted lines 1 and 8 to form the converging sides 9 and I0, respectively, and is finally reversely-bent along the dotted lines II and I2 to provide parallel end portions or members I3 and 14. These end portions l3 and M are disposed in abutting relation and are provided with registering apertures l5 for the attachment of one end of the line to be tightened.

Each of the sides 5 and 6 is provided with a partially circular opening IS in the same longitudinal position of the frame, and each of these partially circular openings it has an extension ll of rectangular configuration or at least its opposed sides are substantially parallel for the reception of a locking bar l8. The locking bar must have substantially parallel sides and therefore may be substantially rectangular or substantially square in cross section and of a size to fit snugly within the rectangular extension, the latter having one of its edges in alignment with or tangential to the side of the partially circular opening I6. It is also substantially parallel to the edges of the bar although the same is not necessary, and its width is substantially less than the diameter of the partially circular opening I6.

The bar I8 is of a length greater than the spacing of the sides 5 and 6 of the frame in order to permit the application of a wrench (not shown) for rotating the bar with a line to be tightened received in an opening in the bar in order that such line may be wound upon the bar by rotation of the same. The end portion 4 of the frame may be provided with an opening IS in order to permit the line to extend axially through the frame to the bar I8.

The frame may be anchored by means of the opening I5 with the line to be tightened extending through the opening 19 and into the opening 20 of the bar whereupon rotation of the bar of Fig. 1 counterclockwise will produce tightening of the line. Release of the bar will cause it to snap into locking position with the bar fitting between the parallel portions of the extensions of the opening.

It will be readily understood that the device of the present invention is applicable for use with a line formed of heavy cord, small rope, wire or the like and is particularly useful in connection with clothes line, guy wires, tent ropes, and other small lines, and due to its small cost it may be left in position on the line.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawing and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A device for tightening clothes lines or the like comprising a frame including spaced side members each of which is provided with a partially circular opening, each of said openings having a rectangular extension of reduced width disposed longitudinall of said frame with the sides thereof substantially parallel and one of said sides tangential to said circular opening, said frame having means at one end whereby a clothes line may be attached and an opening centrally of the other end thereof through which a line may extend, a tightening bar of uniformly rectangular cross section receivable in said partially circular openings and projecting on both sides of said frame and provided with a substantially centrally located aperture whereby the end of the line may be attached thereto, the relation of the size of said tightening bar and said rectangular extensions being such that the tightening bar cannot rotate when in said extensions, the construction and arrangement being such that the bar may be rotated from either end thereof and when the bar is rotated in one direction the line will be tightened whereby the tension exerted longitudinally of the frame upon said bar will cause the latter to ride into said rectangular extensions and be maintained therein against rotation.

HARRY W. MOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 938,563 Ferguson Nov. 2, 1909 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 397,014 France Apr. 27, 1909 

